1/21/2006

Dutch putting their foot down on burqas

Apparently the Dutch government is considering passing a ban on burqas, even though there are only fifty women in the entire country who wear one.

The rationale? Fourfold:

1. "It's a medieval symbol, a symbol against women ... We don't want women to be ashamed to show who they are."

2. "Even if you have decided yourself to do that, you should not do it in Holland, because we want you to be integrated, assimilated into Dutch society. If people cannot see who you are, or see one inch of your body or your face, I believe this is not the way to integrate into our society."

3. "We have problems with a growing minority of Muslims who tend to have sympathy with the Islamo-fascistic concept of radical Islam."

4. "That's also a reason why everybody should be identifiable when they walk on the street or go to a pub or go into a restaurant or whatsoever."